Task force will review bowl-game licensing

The NCAA will re-examine its role in licensing bowls and has put a three-year hold on any new games in the wake of the Fiesta Bowlís problems.

The NCAAís Division I Board of Directors yesterday approved a new task force to look at the criteria and process for licensing bowls and will not approve any new bowls until updated standards are put into place.

Spawned by financial improprieties and apparent political improprieties by the Fiesta Bowl uncovered in March, the task force will look at the oversight of bowl-sponsoring agencies, conflict-of-interest rules and policies, advertising and title-sponsorship standards, along with oversight and reporting of financial management of bowl games.

FEEL DIFFERENT: Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany believes he might have acted differently toward five Ohio State players who were allowed to play in the Sugar Bowl despite NCAA violations had he known the information that has since been uncovered.

The players were permitted to wait until this fall to begin serving a five-game suspension for accepting money and tattoos from the owner of a Columbus tattoo parlor.

A newspaper reported that Ohio State players are alleged to have improperly traded dozens of items to the owner of a tattoo parlor, receiving tattoos, $14,000 and in one case a sport-utility vehicle.

The report by The Columbus Dispatch said it obtained a letter that was sent from the U.S. Department of Justice to Ohio State officials in December.

The document lists 36 items that players are said to have sold to Eddie Rife or traded for tattoos since 2008.

ITíLL WAIT: Auburnís football team isnít heading to the White House this week after all.

The national champions were scheduled to fly to Washington yesterday evening and meet President Barack Obama, who is now set to travel to Alabama today in the aftermath of deadly storms that hit the state.